Heat-distributer.



P. P. MERRILL.

HEAT DISTRIBUTEE.

APPLIOATION FILED AUG. 21, 1912.

1,083,503. Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

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PHILIP P. MERRILL, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

HEAT-DISTRIBU'IEB.

b all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PHILIP P. MERRILL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cleveland, county of Cuyahoga, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Heat-Distributers, of wh1ch the following is a specification, the prmciple of the invention being herein explained and the best mode in which I have contemplated applying that principle, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

The present invention relates generally to heat distributers, and among its particular objects is the provision of a device for use especially over the burners of gas stoves and which will produce an exceptionally uniform heat throughout the extent of the device. At the same time, the device is very simple in construction and may be very economically manufactured.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related objects said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail a certain construction embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of the various forms of construction in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing :-Figure 1 is a vertical section of a device embodying the invention and having in association a hood Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the device, the line AA indicating the plane of the section of Fig. 1.

The distributer, in its preferred form, comprises an imperforate member 1, the body of the member being provided on its under side with a substantially conical surface 2, and at its periphery with an outwardly declining wall 3 which does not depend downwardly so far as a horizontal plane passing through the apex of the under surface 2. A perforate member 4 is spaced above the imperforate member 1, and the two members are secured together in their spaced apart relation by any convenient means, such as the brackets 5 to which the two members are riveted. The body of the perforate member 1 is substantially horizontal and is provided at its periphery with an outwardly declining wall 6 which depends at least to a horizontal plane passing through the apex of the under surface 2 of Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 21, 1912.

Serial No. 716,140.

the member 1, so that the member 41, with its wall 6, substantially incloses, above and peripherally, the member 1, the latter with its wall being at least co -extensive with the body of the member 1.

The members 1 and 1 may be formed as desired, but preferably they are formed as plates of sheet metal and, for practical reasons, will usually be circular in shape, though their contour may be formed as the proposed use requires. The wall 6 may be secured to the body of the member 4- as desired, as, for instance, by the crimp joint 7. At the lower edge the wall 6 is preferably formed with an outwardly extending substantially horizontal flange 8. The member 41 is provided with a plurality of openings, the open area increasing in extent from the periphery of the member toward its center. The openings in the member 4 are preferably n concentric series, the specific number hemg matter of indifference.

In the drawing the series are illustrated as four in number, but whatever the number of series may be the apertures are progressively larger from the series nearest the periphery of the member inwardly toward its center. In the drawing the apertures 9 of the series nearest the edge are the smallest, the apertures 10 in the next series inwardly are larger, the apertures 11 in the next series are still larger, while the apertures 12 in the inner series may be still larger or substantially the same size as the apertures 11 in the adjacent series.

If desired, in use, a hood 13 may be used to cover the device and whatever article is being heated upon the device, and I have provided the wall 6 with the flange 8 to con vemently receive and support such a hood 13.

In use, the device, which it will be seen constitutes a unitary structure, is placed over the burners. The products of combustion from the burners and the air heated below the device rise together, a portion passing upwardly directly through the opening between the wall 6 and the wall 3, while the greater portion strikes the under conical surface of the member 1 and is deflected outwardly to the outwardly declining wall 3 which directs it downwardly toward the wall 6, whereupon it passes upwardly into the chamber between the members 1 and 1. The air and hot products of combustion which rise through the opening between the walls 3 and 6 will naturally rise at once to Patented Jan. 6, 1914.

the member 4 and will pass upwardly through the series of apertures nearest the periphery of the member. The open area adjacent the periphery of the member, however, is insufficient to permit all of the hot air and products of combustion to pass upwardly therethrough, and consequently there is a flow of air and products of combustion inwardly toward the center of the chamber and upwardly through the succeeding open areas toward the center of the member 4. It is obvious that the hottest air and products of combustion above the member 4 will be the portion which rises immediately directly through the outermost open area in the member. It is equally obvious that as the portion which flows inwardly under the member progresses, it will gradually become appreciably cooler, so that the portion which finally rises through the open area nearest the center of the member will be cooler than the portion which rises directly through the outermost open area. The centrally flowing air and roducts of combustion, however, are afforded a progressively more extensive open area through which to pass upwardly through the member 4, and consequently the cooler the air and products of combustion become as they flow inwardly, the greater volume thereof is allowed to pass upwardly. Consequently, as the air and products of combustion rising through the member 4 are progressively cooler from its periphery to the center, and as the volume passing upwardly is progressively greater from the periphery to the center, the number of heat units in the area above the member 4 is equalized. The temperature of the body of air and products of combustion in the chamber between the members 1 and 4 is somewhat alfected by radiation from the member 1. This, however, does not alter the fact that the hottest portion is that rising through the member 4 nearest its periphery, for that portion is directly heated by the burners and rises immediately and directly through the member 4, and is somewhat affected by the radiation from member 1. The gradually cooling portion flowing centrally below the member 4 is subjected for a longer period, dependent upon the open area through which it rises, to radiation from member 1, but this portion is also hot air and products of combustion coming directly from the burners and the radiation is insufficient to materially affect the relative temperatures of the portions rising through the progressive open areas. Furthermore, it has been thoroughly demonstrated by practical tests that during use of the device the plate 1 is coolest at its center and hottest at its periphery.

The device embodying this invention has been subjected to thorough scientific tests, and it has been demonstrated that a substantially uniform heat is produced throughout the entire area immediately above the perforate member.

()ther modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the construction herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention 1. In a device of the class described, the combination of an imperforate member having a substantially conical outwardly and upwardly inclined under surface and provided peripherally with a depending wall; and a perforate member spaced above the imperforate member and provided with a wall declining outwardly from its periphery, the wall being spaced from the wall on the imperforate member and extending below the edge thereof.

2. In a device of the class described, the

combination of an imperforate member having a substantially conical outwardly and upwardly inclined under surface and provided with a wall declining outwardly from its periphery; and a perforate member spaced above the imperforate member and pro-vided with a wall declining outwardly from its periphery, the wall being spaced from the wall on the imperforate member and extending below the edge thereof.

In a device'of the class described, the combination of an imperforate member having a substantially conical outwardly and upwardly inclined under surface and provided with a wall declining outwardly from its periphery to a plane above the apex of the members under surface; and a perforate member spaced above the imperforate member and provided with a wall declining outwardly from its periphery at least to a plane passing through the apex of the imperforate members under surface, the wall being spaced from the wall on the imperforate member.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of an imperforate member having a substantially conical under surface and provided peripherally with a depending wall; and a member spaced above the imperforate member, and provided with a plu a member spaced above the imperforate member and provided peripherally with a depending wall extending below the edge of the imperforate member, said member being provided with a plurality of openings, the open area increasing in extent from the periphery toward the center.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of an imperforate member provided peripherally with a depending wall; and a member spaced above the imperforate member and provided peripherally with a depending wall extending below the edge of the wall on the imperforate member, said member being provided with a plurality of openings, the open area increasing in extent from the periphery toward the center.

7. In a device of the class described, the combination of an imperforate member provided peripherally with an outwardly cleclining wall; and a member spaced above the imperforate member and provided peripherally with an outwardly declining wall extending below the edge of the wall on the imperforate member, said member being provided with a plurality of openings, the open area increasing in extent from the periphery toward the center.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination of an imperforate member having a substantially conical under surface and provided peripherally with an outwardly declining wall; and a member spaced above the imperforate member, and provided with a plurality of concentric series of apertures, said, apertures being progressively larger from the series nearest the edge inwardly, and the member being provided peripherally with an outwardly declining wall extending below the edge of the wall on the imperforate member, the latter with its wall being at least coextensive with the body of the perforate member.

Signed by me this 17th day of August, 1912.

ROBERT M. LEE, D. S. DAVIES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, 1). C. 

